44 INTRODUCTION Of DOMESTIC REINDP^ER INTO ALASKA. 



Fairbanks, the distributing point for the most recently discovered 

 gold fields, almost in the center of Alaska, is on the Chena River, about 

 12 miles from its junction with the Tanana. The discoveiy of gold 

 in this district was made by Felix Pedro and others in 1898, but it was 

 not until the autumn of 1902 that the stor}^ of the rich strike was told 

 to the outside world. During the following winter many miners 

 from Circle City, Fortymile Creek, and Dawson, attracted by the 

 talcs of gold, flocked into the Tanana Valley over the winter trails. 

 The following summer the river steamers brought crowds of eager 

 prospectors from the outside. Fairbanks has become the metropolis 

 of central Alaska, and contains large warehouses and stores canying 

 ample stocks of provisions, groceries, machinery, hardware, and mis- 

 cellaneous merchandise adequate to supply all the requirements of the 

 district. In summer, steamboat service is maintained with St. 

 Michael and Dawson. Conditions for mining are better here than in 

 other sections of northern Alaska. Timber and water abound; on 

 accoimt of the comparatively mild climate the mining season is longer 

 here than it is elsewhere; vegetables are grown with great success, and 

 prosperous truck farms are seen on the river banks as one approaches 

 the town. About 5,000 persons have flocked into Fairbanks; they 

 live in the log buildings of the town on the south bank of the river, 

 or in tents in the suburbs on the north side. In the outskirts of the 

 town is a large hospital, which was erected by Bishop P. T. Rowe, of 

 the Protestant Episcopal Church. There are three saw mills in Fair- 

 banks, and they were kept busy both day and night in order to keep 

 pace with the demand for lumber for the erection of the houses which 

 must shelter the crowds of incoming people from the rigors of the 

 rapidly approaching arctic winter. Carpenters^ wages at the time of 

 our visit were S15 per da,j. 



On account of the heavy freight charges on all commodities, living 

 expenses are high. Flour cost $6 per sack; beans, 15 cents per 

 pound ; beef, 50 cents per pound ; cliicken and turkey (cold storage) , 

 $1 per pound; pork, 80 cents per pound; butter, $1.50 per roll; hay, 

 7 cents per pound. In some quarters alarm was felt lest the few 

 American steamers which ascend the shallow Tanana would not be 

 able during the short time remaining before the river would be locked 

 in ice to bring into the town supplies sufficient to feed the tlii'ongs that 

 continued to pour into it. In order to provide an additional source of 

 supply, b}^ an arrangement between the customs officers of the United 

 States and Canada, the steamers of the White Pass and Yukon Com- 

 pany and other Canadian steamers \\ ere given the pri^nlege of engag- 

 ing in the Tanana trade until the close of the present season, provided 

 that a convoy was put on board each steamer at Eagle. It is esti- 

 mated that the output of the Fairbanks district will reach $1,500,000 

 this season. 



